Football!

To discover something you need to first explore. When I first discovered my enthusiasm for football I was in grade five in Islamabad. I probably wouldn’t have been aware of my abilities as a football player had I not been urged to try out the game. What seemed initially as an exciting activity to fill in time, led me to discover my passion for football. The experience of my first ever goal is still etched in my mind as a flashbulb memory. I vividly remember every detail of it. This was the first time I ever played football. Some of the boys in my school had asked me to play with them. I had considerably feeble knowledge about how to play the game. However, I agreed to join them anyway. The idea of exploring something new intrigued me. Anyhow, it happened when most of the players were in our half of the field pursuing an attack. I was in the other half, positioned as a striker. It was during this time that a pass came through to where I was standing and I took the ball and made a run towards the goal post. It was me against the keeper, who happened to be a boy with substantial experience of the game. As I was running with the ball, I looked up at the goal post and set my aim. I somehow managed to dodge the keeper and took my chances with my first ever shoot and scored my first ever goal. That feeling of that one goal is too incredible for words. What I discovered that day was more than just my aptitude for football; I discovered something that I fell in love with; something that gave me reasons enough to struggle for. Following that day I started playing regularly with the boys at my school and a time came when I was even better than some of them. All this kept invigorating my enthusiasm for football.

I had at first not intended to come to LSE but one of the major incentives for me to join the institution was football. I immediately signed up for the team and went to play at the nationals. I scored my first goal for the team in our second match at the national football tournament. We made it to the quarter finals of the event but I ended up with an injury that kept me from playing football for at least six months. That time was awfully frustrating for me. However, following my recovery, I worked really hard to get my game back. I have since been playing as a striker for the LSE team. My best tournament so far has been the last tournament that we played in LUMS. I scored five goals in the play-offs there. Somebody once said to me to continue to work hard at what I love no matter what the odds are and eventually, someone will praise and appreciate what I do. I am now the representative for the girl’s football team in LSE and I hope to develop in my teammates, the same kind of passion for the game that I have. I aspire to keep improving our game and keep working on building team spirit.

Raina
Lahore School of Economics

JACK “A Happy Horse”

In Pakistan and the other countries of the world, horseback riding has been a part of culture for a long time for different purposes i.e. for work, for travelling, etc. The Best thing about Horseback riding is that it offers the opportunity to learn riding for a lifetime. Horse riding is a healthy activity and loved by many people due to its predominantly recreational nature, basically this activity is for everybody whether you are riding a horse for fun or for the sake of exercise or whatever you like to.

In the beginning, I was not a good horse rider but with the passage of time I started liking this healthy activity. Anyone who do not have know how about horseback riding always thinks that this activity is not difficult but if they do horse riding and get involved in this activity then they surely say that casual riding is not difficult but riding well is quite difficult. The most important thing that matters a lot while you riding a horse that a rider must have a good contact with the horse and he have to develop a good partnership with the horse to face different kinds of challenges. Whenever a rider rides a horse the horse must know that rider is the boss so that he develops a trust and confidence on you and give you a respect. A rider must have infinity with the horse and a love and understanding with him. I also have a very good contact with my own horse name as “JACK”.

I like to spend time with him. I want him to be strong enough that is why I give him a training to face hurdles and to jump well and positively. I train him how to maintain discipline on the field and riding track for this reason I always have a teacher/instructor with me down there on ground to assist me or to give me advice. I have developed a great partnership with Jack that whenever I want him to go in whatever location or to take a steep turn or to jump high, he will do so this is just because I have a full control on him, he follow my commands that I give him. While riding my horse I always keep precautions in mind that what I am doing for Jack and my owns safety. I take my horse (Jack) to play Polo as well. I also go to different places for horse riding like Polo Club Lahore and Rangers Head Quarter Horse riding Club and rides different horses in order to improve my riding skills and to understand different mood swings and nature of different horses but I find JACK the best, sensible and a peaceful Horse. I treat all the Horses just like Jack and expect the same response that jack used to give me on my command but I hardly find this type of response.

  I always keep the tips and warnings in my mind while riding a horse that my instructor gave me when I was learning horse riding.

Tips

• When you are riding horses, he surely can tell in which mood you are what you are expecting from him and if you are nervous, the horse will become nervous as well and if you are feeling well the horse will remain well.
• Sometimes Horse does not want anybody to run around them because this might spook the Horse and the result would be quite dangerous.
• While riding if you keep your trust on the horse, he will trust you too and will give positive response to your commands.
• Always ask questions to your instructor about what commands your horse responds to.
• Always look where you want to go or to take the horse while riding by keeping heels down.

Warning

• Always try to stand beside the horse and do not try to stand in front of the horse because there is a huge difference between the vision of the horse and a human being. A horse cannot see in front of them as their eyes are on the sides of their heads
• Always wear appropriate clothing while riding a horse to avoid any injury.
• Never stand or approach a horse from behind as he may not know that you are coming and he may get frightened and if you want to go behind or at the back of the horse keep your hand on the back of the horse.
• Always try to look forward and avoid looking down because you don’t want to go down along the horse.
• Avoid sitting near the horse.

By M Shaheryar Shahid ( Lahore School Of Economics)